Over the last few days, odd little details of Saturday's race, mainly the run, have been coming back to me. During the run, my world was stripped down to just me (and my pain), the path ahead of me, and people and voices around me. I'm guessing that happens to us all.
The funniest thing happened about 1/2 a mile from the finish. I knew no one was behind me for a ways and I fell to a walk. Shameful to be sooooo close and still not able to keep it up, I know, but I was beyond fried mentally and physically. Some spectator across the road starts yelling "Pick it up!! You can catch him!!" His voice was booming and commanding....like you don't say no to this guy! Sure enough, there's some dude ahead of me, and without a thought of my own (or even the thought to have a thought of my own), I pick up a run again to catch him. The spectator keeps yelling and I keep running! It was basically puppet and puppet master.
I can't believe how vulnerable I was to this power of suggestion. I mean, I am thankful, but it really is as if large parts of the brain shut down and you just become this reactionary being. It's just a little creepy.
I'm guessing he was having fun with it - kind of like a live videogame sort of thing. I wonder how many other people he brought across the finish line?!
